Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1887-01-13

my FOOT Is burned. anyhow when
stepped on the deck, you know
! 'Oh, you poor girl And you didn' t say
q word Why il is a bad burn. the skin
| is coming off. ! have some salve in my
/ pocket and can bandage il now, and ht
! is kneeling, with the delight of physician
and the sympathy Of a novice, with my
| foot in his hands There was nothing
strange to us in this episode, it was sc
! thoroughly in keeping with this horrible
/ nightmare from which | expected tC
awake with the daylight, but look back
I now with a strange thrill and see again
I the frightened group on that lonely
/ Tennessee shore with the background OF
/ inky cottonwood forests and the awful un-
earthly glare Of the burning Rosabel, now
a beautiful phantom in fire, in the fore
ground. and in all that des0late scene |
am the most RbieCt bit nf fOrlornity. Even
the babies have mothers, but I have my
mortal enemy.
A great content comes over me as look
at the kneeling figure, 50 tenderly wrap
ping my burned foot, for | feel that all my
responsibility has slipped upon his broad
shoulders. and shall be guarded even at
the price Of his life This, too. was the
young man who had sworn to Cousin Tom
that the world could not hold them both.
II IL morning by the time that rude wagons
have been brought and tRs helpless ones
are carried to the nearest village, a ham
let Of half hundred unpainted houses and
postottiCe store. We are distributed
among the houses, and as soon rs we have
breakfasted Royal Sallies forth to buy me
some hose have written the size and
style upon q slip Of paper. which he mod
estly puts III his pocket without reading
Presently he returns with the appalling
intelligence that it iS Sunday and the store
Is closed. and We are surprised to find how
dazed we are. but my hostess overwhelms
me with the loan Of pair Of blue wOOlen
ones Of vastness and coarseness indescrib-
able, which 80 over handage and all.
II will be three days before the boat
comes 10 carry US away, eternal three
days in anticipation. but in reality
charmed days. that are gone before can
believe it. Royal had entertained me,
read to me, prescribed for me, eXplair:--,.
however. that even in war the truly brave
are always gentle to the women anu
children OF their adversaries, and We have
a tscit understanding that our joint ad-
venture is not 10 be written home
But nobody can appreciate the zest with
which the Fsrnham entered into the
spirit of the romance, and insisted upon
understanding so much more than there
was in the affair.
She was fond Of telling her views, too.
a. knew from her number of sly con-
gratulatiIns and joking insinustions that
began to disturb my comfort; still
thought that SC long as Royal was uncon-
scious of all 1t did not matter.
The night before we reach Cincinnati a
group OF US are gathered at the end of the
grand saloon, exchanging experiences and
yowing external remembrance of each
other in the light of ''perils past and dan
gers Ger
But the loveliest of all" cried Mrs
Farnham's impulsive voice, was the cpl
sode Of these two young people; can't
,,et over il. do so love young people and
romance, and never had chick nor child
of my own. You needn't blush. my dears,
nor look 80 embarrassed, for We know all
about it. Nothing could be more beauti-
ful than Mr. Storms devotion and tender
ness, we've all remarked, and I'm sure
that no face could show more appreciation
and love than Miss Castles; such perfect
you go across the state l want YOU to
come and be my guests for little while,
and then | am going TO make you promise
that whenever the time comes you will let
me make a wedding for you, and invite all
these friends of the Rossbel. Now don't
say no. Miss Castle tells me that she
is motherless, and have adopted her and
set my heart upon this. Make her say
yes Mr.. Storm, she will mind you,
know"
Royal Strengthened to bis full height,
and looked every inch the king that he is.
He drew q long breath and looked full into
my foolish. burning face, holding my eyes
with his.
IL shall be as Miss Castle SAYS"
Nothing on earth could rejoice me 30
much I shall never forget the thrill and
easnestnsss Of his tone, bit | cannot re-
member what | gasped out in my agits-
ton, and Royal will not tell me Later,
when We arc gravely discussing the i'm
portant questiOn-what TO tell the people
at home, he suggests one plausible story
after another until brilliant idea strikes
me. why. Roy, | say, suppose We tell
them the truth Lizzie Hyer Neff in
Cleveland Leader